The Oslo Cardigan from Seamwork & Tips on hemming a slinky knit!

I was a little late subscribing to the new digital magazine from Colette at the back end of last year so I missed out on the free pattern.. including The Oslo. At first it wasn’t a problem, but then they were popping up all over, even in the Supermarket! And I needed one to snuggle and slouch in, with so splashed out!

I went down to Dewsbury to Lucky Fashions and spotted this scrumptious knit with an amazing drape for an even more amazing £3 per yard. I snapped up 3 yards and dashed home!

Before the sun set I had my very own Oslo. And boy has it been put through its paces. It’s gone with everything! (as you’ll have seen on MMM15). It seemed a bit daft taking pictures of me in the Oslo for this post, what with all the selfies of me on MMM, so I sweet talked my lovely niece into putting it on for a few photos. That was the easy bit, The hard bit was getting it off her!

I made a large, as per my side, but as you can see, Lucy is no way a large but it still looks fab. Teenagers wear all that oversized stuff so well!

As I mentioned in the title, here’s a tip how I hemmed this tricky fabric!

I was thinking to just run the bottom through the overlocker, turn and stitch. But noo! The overlocking skipped and jumped and did’t like it. That never happens usually!

So I had a think. I’d heard of using interfacing but couldn’t be bothered cutting strips, then remembered I had some wundaweb and thought I’d give that a try.

I stitched it along the edge, just roughly, no pins but guided it close to the edge.

Whizzed it through the overlocker…..

So it looked like this:

Then turned and stitched it….

once it was pressed the wundaweb gave it a really sharp finish…. The right side is pressed, the left hasn’t been.

Just to mention, I didn’t bother with the sleeve bands, the length was ok without them, and i think it would have made them too heavy as this fabric has a bit of weight to it. I hemmed the sleeves same at the bottom.

I also used clear elastic for the first time: usually I just use some trim out of my trim box.

And I top stitched the shoulder seams:

I think these little touches really finish it off and make it look more RTW, or less home made.

Phew….that was a quick one. Lots of pics and not too much writing. Must dash… having to work today so I can have an extra day off next week to watch H play cricket!

Haha, your family is a threat to your handmade items. It looks really nice on your niece as well. Great tip for the hem, I wish I had it earlier, I bought a knit that the overlocker, loathed and just didn’t want to sew. Once this house move happens I will take it out of the box and give it go.

Bet it’s driving you mad being packed away! I thought over lockers sewed everything so it was definately a shock when it didn’t want to sew this. Happy with the wundaweb tho! Not sure it would work for a top that would still need to stretch. Luckily this doesn’t 😀

I thought the same about overlockers, my top is another dolores batwing so your technique would work no need to stretch! As for the move👹😡⚡️⚡️not going anywhere till the end of June so it have unpacked a ‘few’ things again haha!

Thanks! I sewed all the seams with my regular machine then finished the seams with the serger. Worked a treat! Sometimes I think the thought of handling some fabrics is actually worse than actually doing it!

Really nice and it looks sooooooo confortable! I just made my first Seamworks pattern yesterday (made Astoria) and was really surprised by how quick and easy it was. This makes me want to make Oslo next.

I used the mustard warm jersey from White Tree Fabrics (http://www.whitetreefabrics.com/fabric/plain/jersey.html). It is a medium weight knit *I think* and very stable. I put it in the wash before using it and it did not bleed or shrink much. I think it took me only 2-3 hours tops including cutting to make the sweater and have bought more of the same fabric but different colour to make a lot more of them. Definitely will be blogging about it because it is one of my favourite makes so far and it was very easy, just need to find the time. I think it would work in a really thick jumper knit, although I would perhaps add a little more ease then.

I think that would be a good idea for a thicker knit, you can always make it smaller if too big :-). I did worry slightly about the measurements because I always have to do a SBA with Colette patterns, but actually it worked just fine straight from pattern with no alterations (I used M for shoulders/bust and went down to L for hips/waist).

I remember your cardi and that you’d made it but didn’t realise it was an Oslo, I’ve just been back and had a look at the pics. It’s funny once you’ve made something you spot it straight away. Think my next one needs pockets 😀